Twenty Luzerne County municipalities have 2016 tax hikes

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Will proposed Luzerne County home rule change discourage manager applicants?

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; He claims he was somewhere else.</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/210077/hazleton-homicide-suspect-caught-walking-in-area-near-fatal-shooting" target="_blank">Hazleton homicide suspect Rafael Mora-Polanco, 27</a>, has provided notice that he will attempt to offer an alibi for the night Jorge Marrero was shot and killed outside an Alter Street apartment, according to a document filed Friday in Luzerne County Court.</p><p>Police said Marrero, 35, was shot six times with a .380-caliber handgun on June 11. He later died at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Hazleton.</p><p>The court filing indicates Mora-Polanco will call Deborah Deisenroth, of Drums, as a witness in regards to the alibi and that he could have been at either of two locations on the night of Marrero&#8217;s murder, including the hospital in Hazleton and a Turkey Hill near the scene of the shooting.</p><p>Surrounding the homicide case are allegations Mora-Polanco&#8217;s relatives were attempting to prevent witnesses from testifying against him.</p><p>A preliminary hearing for Mora-Polanco on July 10 was held at the Luzerne County Courthouse due to security concerns and prior threats allegedly made by Polanco&#8217;s brother, Denny Mora, 30, and his sister, Hilda Mora Polanco, 24, against anyone who testified against their brother.</p><p>Mora, Hilda Mora-Polanco and a third man, Ramon Cruz-Maldonado, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/374804/hazleton-siblings-to-face-witness-intimidation-charges" target="_blank">were later charged with intimidation of witnesses and hindering prosecution</a>.</p><p>Defense attorney Frank T. McCabe wrote that prosecutors must disclose names and addresses of those they intend to call to dispute the alibi within 10 days.</p><p>Mora-Polanco is scheduled to be tried on Feb. 29.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Mora-Polanco </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/web1_Rafael-Mora-Polanco-6-14-15.jpg</photo0><caption0>Mora-Polanco </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Hazleton shooting suspect Rafael Mora-Polanco to claim alibi in homicide case